Pour bag with grippable dispensing funnel

ABSTRACT

A bag made of two opposing sheets, shaped to have a dispensing funnel extending outward from one side at the bottom. The bag is primarily for dry contents and constructed so that it is easy to pour dry contents with control, even if they are heavy. The dispensing funnel has a grippable spout and a flow area that allows the contents to flow through the spout easily. The grippable spout can be held in the hand, and affords more control over the flow by manually opening and shutting the opening. The structure of the funnel allows the user to hold the bag in one hand, tip the bag 45 degrees and hold on to the spout with the other hand to control the speed and direction of the flow. The bag is easy to construct and can be sold with or without contents.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Appl. No. 62/434,048 filed on Dec. 14, 2016.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention lies in the field of individual consumer use bags for holding and pouring dry contents.

BACKGROUND

Certain consumer and industrial products are most efficiently delivered to the end user in bulk, simply because it is the only economical way to market and sell the product. Some examples include items such as pet foods, cat litter, soil, sand, gravel, ice melting salts, packing peanuts, Styrofoam beads, rice, grains, ice melters, fertilizer, seeds and coffee beans. Typically, the product is packaged and sold in boxes, bags, or other flexible containers. In order to use the product, end users must scoop or pour the contents directly from the container.

For certain uses it is preferable to pour the product from the container. However, lack of control when pouring these bulk solids can result in spillage and waste. For instance, many bags comprise a large square or rectangular shape without an area for the user to grip or handle the bag easily when pouring. When the user lifts the bag, turning it diagonally to pour, not only it is difficult to hold the bag securely while the content is still inside, but lack of any control around the bag's opening hole—for controlling the speed of outflow and the specific direction of the bag's contents—causes substantial difficulty as well as inefficiency in pouring, which results in spillage and waste.

In some situations the end user must cut the packaging in order to create a pourable opening to release the contents. Because of the opening made by an irreversible cut, it is difficult to control the speed and therefore the amount of contents to pour, causing a situation where some contents continue to tumble out of the bag when lifting the bag up to stop or pause pouring. Lack of a measuring mechanism within a bag can also result in a loss of control over the amount of contents poured out.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bag or packaging for storing dry contents, which can be held with less difficulty and poured with more control. It is another object of the present invention to be easy to pour contents from the bag with a simple 45 degree tilt. It is another object of the present invention to provide a dispensing funnel that extends outward from the base of the bag, and comprised of a curved flow area and grippable spout, allowing the user to grip the spout and control the direction and the amount of the pour, and to open and pause flow as needed, by squeezing the spout, without lifting the bag or using a scoop. It is another object of the present invention to provide for direct release, wherein it can be directed above a receptacle being used to receive contents or inserted into narrow openings, and by gripping the spout the user can release content more precisely. It is another object of the present invention that the dispensing funnel is a measuring chamber to control the amount of contents that are released.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the bag when it is empty.

FIG. 2 is a break-out view of the spout of the bag.

FIG. 3 is a front side perspective view of an embodiment of the bag with contents.

FIG. 4 is a front side perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the bag.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The bag will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 5. The bag is comprised of two opposing flexible sheets that are joinable or joined together, such as by heat sealing, to create the bag's interior cavity. The sheets can be made of any flexible material including plastic, polyethylene, polypropylene, paper, cotton, polyester, etc. . . . Furthermore, the two opposing flexible sheets may be comprised of a single sheet folded in half, without departing from the spirit of the invention. The bag can hold any type of dry contents, and its structure has been designed so that any type of dry contents can be poured easily out of a dispensing funnel [5] protruding horizontally from one end of the base of the bag.

In a preferred embodiment, the two flexible sheets are cut or otherwise shaped such that the shape of the bag comprises a top end [2] that is openable to receive contents, a bottom seam [3], and two vertical side seams [1] and [4] such that the first side seam [1] joins the top end [2] and bottom seam [3] to form the back end of the bag, and the second side seam [4] extends from the top end [2] to meet the top end of dispensing funnel [5]. Dispensing funnel [5] extends outward from the front end of the bag, i.e. the side of the bag opposite back end [1], on the bottom portion of said front end. Note that the bottom seam [3] of the bag is longer than the top end [2] of the bag, such that the dispensing funnel [5] extends from the bottom of the front end of the bag. Thus, when empty the bag will appear as a rectangular body [18] with a dispensing funnel [5] extending outward from the bottom and side of the bag.

Dispensing funnel [5] is formed by the same joining and sealing of the two flexible sheets as is the interior of the bag, in other words, dispensing funnel [5] is in open connection with the interior of the bag. Dispensing funnel [5] is comprised of a grippable spout [53] and a curved flow area [51] that connects the end of the grippable spout [53] with the rectangular body [18] of the bag. Grippable spout [53] measures at least 2 inches in order to be hand-held by a user. Grippable spout [53] also comprises an opening [52] through which contents can be controllably released. The bottom of curved flow area [51] is coincident with the bottom seam [3] of the bag, and the top of curved flow area [51] is coincident with a curved seam [511] angled at least 45 degrees, as exemplified by angle [54] in FIG. 2. This two-dimensional shape means that when contents are placed in the bag resulting in the expansion of the bag and its dispensing funnel, dispensing funnel [5] will be substantially in the shape of a half-funnel, as depicted in FIG. 4.

FIG. 3 is an example of the bag filled with dry contents. When the bag is structured as described, the bag comprises a dispensing funnel [5] with a grippable spout [53] through which the bag's contents can be controllably poured. A user can hold the grippable spout [53] for control, squeeze the spout shut to stop the flow and open the spout to any desired circumference to control the speed of the flow. This is particularly useful when the contents are needed to be released precisely, for instance if the user desires to pour the contents into a smaller receptacle. The control over the flow will minimize spill and waste, especially when the contents are comprised of small particles that have a tendency to spill and scatter when poured out of the top of an ordinary bag.

The preferred dimensions of dispensing funnel [5] are shown in FIG. 2. With reference to FIG. 2, the curvature of seam [511] is comprised of increasing angles from the end of grippable spout [53] to the second side seam [4]. With reference to FIG. 2, these angles increase from 49.9° (the angle [54] being at least 45°), to 52.4°, to 72.9°. With reference to FIG. 2, the length of the entire dispensing funnel is approximately 127 mm between opening [52] and second side seam [4], and in particular the length of grippable spout [53] is at least 2 inches long in order to accommodate the hand of a user.

The dimensions of the spout are important to the functioning of the bag. In addition to being grippable in the average human hand, the length of the spout allows contents to flow freely but not so freely that they pour out of the spout uncontrollably and the length of spout is not too long that contents can be stuck or clogged in the spout even when tilting it. The curved flow area [51] is designed to allow the contents of the bag to flow smoothly from the body and through the dispensing funnel. As this bag is only designed to hold dry contents, the curved flow area prevents contents from becoming trapped in an elbow, while creating enough resistance so that the contents pour slowly from the interior of the bag. Thus, a user can stand or sit and tilt the bag downward with minimal effort, to release its contents. Indeed the bag only needs to be tilted 45 degrees in order to release its contents. This is a vast improvement over bags that simply have an opening and must be tilted close to 90 degrees to pour.

The funnel is effective because the angle of curved seam [511] is steepest nearest second side seam [4], and gradually decreases to meet the grippable spout [53], creating the funnel effect. In some embodiments, grippable spout [53] may be angled at or around 37° at the opening [52], as in exemplary angle [55] in FIG. 2. The preferred dimensions of the dispensing funnel can be adjusted to suit different bag sizes, but the angle of curvature must increase from the opening [52] to side seam [4]. The dimensions are applicable to any size of bag, in other words, the length and height of the bag can be longer or shorter without deviating from the spirit of the invention.

The opening [52] can be manufactured sealed for a user to cut or open, or it can be manufactured without sealing. In some embodiments the opening may comprise a resealable opening such as a zipper opening [19], as depicted in FIG. 5. In some embodiments, the end user can cut the opening [52] at any desired section of the grippable spout [53] to vary the speed of the flow, such as to make the spout conducive to the specific contents in the bag. The dispensing funnel can also be detachable from the bag, for instance by means of a press-and-seal zipper closure [56]. The separate closure enables the user to release only the amount of contents necessary into the dispensing funnel, before pouring. In some embodiments the dispensing funnel also comprises measuring markers [57] to enable the user to measure the contents released into the dispensing funnel.

In some embodiments, the bag is an empty product sold directly to consumers as an openable and reusable bag for different contents. For instance, the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1 comprises a zipper closure [9] at top end [2], while the embodiment depicted in FIG. 5 comprises a zipper closure at back end. In other embodiments, the bag can be sealed and sold pre-filled with contents directly to consumers. For instance, the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3 is filled with contents and heat sealed at the back end. No part of the bag—aside from the grippable spout—must necessarily be openable by consumers, and pre-filled bags can be filled from any edge and sealed without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, any means of opening and closing may be added to the bag, including “press and seal” zippers, Velcro closure, clips, etc. . . .

Because the bag is made of two flexible sheets, it is easily manufacturable by die-cutting along the edges. Heat sealing can be applied along any desired edges. Because the bag is comprised of a rectangular shape with the dispensing funnel protruding from one end of one side of the bag, it is particularly conducive to cutting mirror images, thus saving waste. Another method of manufacture is to cut a single sheet that is folded in two to make one bag, and heat sealing the edges as desired. The flexible sheets comprising the bag can be made of any material and be of any thickness. For instance, the bag may be produced of fabric, paper, polypropylene, polyurethane, vinyl, polyester, cellophane, etc. . . . and may be sealed by any method such as stapling or glue.

The bag with dispensing funnel enables a user to hold the bag on its horizontal side and grip the dispensing spout with their other hand, enabling tilting the bag in order to let contents flow. Thus the bag with dispensing funnel enables a user to stand and pour contents from the bag without bending over. To further facilitate lifting and holding the bag while standing vertically, some embodiments of the bag comprise handles or straps to provide added comfort or support. For instance, the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4 comprises a strap [12] to hold the bag from the shoulder. This is particularly useful for heavy contents such as ice melt and cat litter. The embodiment depicted in FIG. 4 also comprises a grip [8] to facilitate moving and transporting the bag. Grip [8] also gives the user more control over the bag and hence the pour. In some embodiments, an additional heat sealing line [13] may be included under the handle [8], providing more support by distributing weight laterally along the bag.

It should be noted that all of the descriptions contained herein are of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. They are not to be taken in a limiting sense, but are made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the present invention. 

1. A bag comprised of two opposing flexible sheets joined together to create said bag's interior cavity and shaped such that the bag comprises a rectangular body and a dispensing funnel extending outward from the bottom of the rectangular body, wherein the dispensing funnel comprises: a. a grippable spout at least two inches long and comprising an openable end; and b. a curved flow area connecting the grippable spout to the rectangular body of the bag, wherein the bottom border of the curved flow area is coincident with the bottom of the bag, and the top border of the curved flow area is a curved seam coincident with the top side of the dispensing funnel of the bag, and wherein the angle of the curved seam is at least 45 degrees nearest the grippable spout and increases from the grippable spout to the rectangular body of the bag.
 2. The bag of claim 1 wherein the top of the grippable spout at the openable end is angled approximately 37.5 degrees.
 3. The bag of claim 1 wherein the openable end of the grippable spout comprises a first zipper closure, and the dispensing funnel further comprises a second zipper closure that is openable to release contents of the bag into the dispensing funnel.
 4. The bag of claim 2 wherein the openable end of the grippable spout comprises a first zipper closure, and the dispensing funnel further comprises a second zipper closure that is openable to release contents of the bag into the dispensing funnel.
 5. The bag of claim 1 wherein the dispensing funnel further comprises measurement markers to determine the amount of contents released from the bag.
 6. The bag of claim 2 wherein the dispensing funnel further comprises measurement markers to determine the amount of contents released from the bag.
 7. The bag of claim 3 wherein the dispensing funnel further comprises measurement markers to determine the amount of contents released from the bag.
 8. The bag of claim 4 wherein the dispensing funnel further comprises measurement markers to determine the amount of contents released from the bag. 